Foreign Students Can Now Work Legally in Panama

Expat tip

For the first time in history, foreign students can legally work in Panama.

If you want to study and gain work experience in Panama, this is now possible.

Thanks to Executive Decree No. 6 (of Thursday, April 13, 2023), foreign students who have a valid student visa will be able to apply for the student work permit, this permit provides a valuable opportunity for those who wish to combine their studies with work experience.

This special work permit allows foreign students to work legally while pursuing their studies in the country.

When the permit is granted by the Ministry of Labor the first time, its validity will be 1 year, and then the extensions allowed as long as you maintain the condition of study and can prove it will last for 1 year.

They must be pursuing Higher Technician, Bachelor's, Postgraduate, Master's or Doctorate studies and whose study plans have a minimum duration of 2 years. In addition, check that work activities, self-employment, or work as an employee, are compatible with the completion of studies and that they do not interfere with the academic part.